JD(U) a bigger party in Bihar, must fight more seats than BJP: Prashant Kishor

PATNA: Days after ally BJP’s ouster from power in neighbouring Jharkhand, JD(U) on Sunday began mounting pressure on the saffron party for a larger share of seats in the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar.
Allies JD(U) and BJP had contested 17 seats each in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, while remaining six seats (out of total 40) were given to the third ally Ramvilas Paswan’s LJP.
“As per my understanding, there is no question of BJP and JD(U) contesting on equal number of seats in the assembly election. The seat-sharing formula of Lok Sabha cannot be justified for the state assembly polls— JD(U) is a bigger party in Bihar,” JD(U) national vice president Prashant Kishor told reporters.
“Election will be contested with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar as the face, hence the ratio of seat sharing between BJP and JD(U) cannot be 1:1. The basis of seat-sharing talks between BJP and JD(U) should be 1:1.4 or near to it. It may even be 1:1.3,” Kishor added.
To justify his claim, Kishor pointed out that JD(U) and BJP had distributed seats during 2010 assembly election on the ratio of 1:1.4. “Moreover, even if the number of seats won by BJP and JD(U) in 2015 assembly election are taken into consideration, the ratio will come around 1:1.4,” he said.
Kishor’s statement seeking more seats for JD(U) has created fresh ripples within NDA circles in Bihar, drawing sharp reactions from BJP leaders. BJP legislator Nitin Navin asked whether Kishor was authorised by JD(U) to speak on the issue of seat sharing. “It may be his personal opinion. Top leaders of BJP and JD(U) will sit together and discuss seat-sharing issues at the appropriate time,” Navin told reporters.
Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand told TOI, “BJP believes in maintaining decorum, discipline and not to make any public statement (on seat sharing) which has only news value. All the decisions in the NDA related to election 2020 is a matter of discussion between our top leadership.”